Load arm assembly for a skid steer loader

Abstract

A mobile loading machine having a frame and an operator's cab mounted thereon has a load arm assembly adapted to be pivotably mounted at a rear end of the frame, and support a power tool between a lowered position and a raised position at a forward end thereof. The load arm assembly includes an outer load arm section for supporting the tool, an inner load arm section pivotably mounted to the frame independent of the cab, and an intermediate load arm section integrally connected between the outer and inner load arm sections. The intermediate load arm section and inner load arm section are in overlapping relationship with each other such that the intermediate load arm section is positioned alongside a lowermost portion of the cab when the load arm assembly is in the lowered position to maximize the lateral visibility of the operator from the cab. The load arm assembly is a channel construction having a top wall and a bottom wall connected by a pair of sidewalls and the load arm assembly supports a supply line arrangement running along the load arm assembly to the power tool. A retaining device is positioned on the bottom wall between the extended portions of the sidewalls for protecting and concealing the supply line arrangement. A hydraulic cylinder arrangement is connected to the load arm assembly for moving the load arm assembly between the extended position and the retracted position. A safety bar is located adjacent the underside of the load arm assembly. The safety bar is retained in an inoperative position between the extended portions of the sidewalls and is movable to an operative position for holding the hydraulic cylinder arrangement in the extended position and preventing lowering of the load arm assembly.

I claim:  
     
       1. In a mobile loading machine having a frame and an operator's cab mounted thereon, a load arm assembly adapted to be pivotably mounted at a rear end to the frame, and to support a tool between a lowered position and a raised position at a forward end thereof, the load arm assembly comprising: 
       an outer load arm section for supporting the tool;  
       an inner load arm section pivotably mounted to the frame; and  
       an intermediate load arm section connected between the outer and inner load arm sections;  
       wherein a first one of the inner and intermediate load arm sections includes a first top wall, a first bottom wall and a first pair of sidewalls extending therebetween which cooperate to define an outwardly open passage and wherein a second one of the inner and intermediate load arm sections includes a second top wall, a second bottom wall and a second pair of connecting sidewalls extending therebetween;  
       wherein the intermediate load arm section and the inner load arm section are interconnected at a joint at which the second one of the load arm sections is slidably received within the passage defined by the first one of the load arm sections, wherein the first and second top walls overlap and are interconnected with each other, the first and second bottom walls are interconnected with each other, and the first and second pairs of sidewalls overlap and are interconnected with each other;  
       wherein the first top and bottom walls terminate at outer portions which are bent relative to inner portions defined thereby, such that the passage extends along a longitudinal axis oriented at an angle relative to a longitudinal axis along which the remainder of the first load arm section extends.  
     
     
       2. The load arm assembly of claim  1 , wherein the intermediate load arm section extends along a longitudinal axis, and wherein an angle defined by the longitudinal axes of the inner load arm section and the intermediate load arm section is greater than 90°. 
     
     
       3. The load arm assembly of claim  1 , wherein the intermediate load arm section has a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of connecting sidewalls extending downwardly beyond the bottom wall, and the inner load arm section has an upper wall, a lower wall and a pair of connecting side segments, wherein the upper wall and the side segments of the inner load arm section are received within a passage defined by the top wall and the sidewalls at the rearward end of the intermediate load arm section, and are arranged in overlapping relationship and are connected to the top wall and sidewalls of the intermediate load arm section to form the joint between the inner and intermediate load arm sections. 
     
     
       4. In a mobile loading machine having a frame and an operator's cab mounted thereon, a load arm assembly adapted to be pivotably mounted at a rear end to the frame, and to support a tool between a lowered position and a raised position at a forward end thereof, the load arm assembly comprising: 
       an outer load arm section for supporting the tool;  
       an inner load arm section pivotably mounted to the frame, wherein the inner load arm section has an upper wall, a lower wall and a pair of connecting side segments,  
       an intermediate load arm section connected between the outer and inner load arm sections, wherein the intermediate load arm section has a top wall, a bottom wall and a pair of connecting sidewalls extending downwardly beyond the bottom wall, wherein the upper wall and the side segments of the inner load arm section are slidably received within the top wall and the sidewalls of the intermediate load arm section; and  
       a brace connecting the bottom wall of the intermediate load arm section with the lower wall of the inner load arm section;  
       wherein the upper wall and connecting sidewalls of the intermediate load arm section overlap the upper wall and side segments of the inner load arm section and are fixed thereto in a joint, wherein the intermediate load arm section is positioned alongside a lowermost portion of the cab and the inner load arm section projects upwardly and rearwardly of the cab from the intermediate load arm section, when the load arm assembly is in the lowered position, to maximize the lateral visibility of the operator from the cab.  
     
     
       5. The load arm assembly of claim  1 , wherein the inner load arm section extends downwardly and forwardly between the frame and the cab from an upper pivot connection area at which the inner load arm section is pivotably mounted to the frame, the intermediate load arm section extends downwardly and forwardly alongside the cab from the joint and the outer load arm section extends substantially downwardly in front of the cab when the load arm assembly is in the lowered position. 
     
     
       6. The load arm assembly of claim  1 , wherein the bottom wall of each of the inner and intermediate load arm sections comprises a channel member, wherein the channel members at the joint are spaced from each other, and wherein the joint further includes a bottom plate extending between and interconnected to the channel members defining the bottom walls of the inner and intermediate load arm sections, respectively. 
     
     
       7. In a loading machine having a load arm assembly having a top wall and a bottom wall connected by a pair of sidewalls for supporting a power tool fed by a supply line arrangement running alongside the load arm assembly, the improvement comprising: 
       an extended sidewall portion extending past the bottom wall and cooperating with the bottom wall to define a recess; and  
       a retaining device interconnected with the load arm assembly and the supply line arrangement and disposed within the recess for retaining the supply line arrangement relative to the bottom wall, wherein the extended sidewall portion functions to protect and conceal the supply line arrangement within the recess.  
     
     
       8. In a mobile loading machine, a movable load arm assembly for supporting a power tool connected with a supply line arrangement, the load arm assembly comprising: 
       an inverted, generally U-shaped channel defining a top wall and a pair of spaced apart sidewalls depending therefrom;  
       a bottom wall connected across the sidewalls and closing the U-shaped channel to form a tubular support member; and  
       a clamping device secured to the bottom wall for retaining the supply line arrangement adjacent thereto;  
       wherein the bottom wall and the depending sidewalls are constructed and arranged to define a recess within which the supply line arrangement and the clamping device are located to conceal, protect and allow accessibility to the supply line arrangement.  
     
     
       9. The load arm assembly of claim  8 , wherein the depending sidewalls are substantially parallel to one another. 
     
     
       10. The load arm assembly of claim  8 , wherein the bottom wall is substantially parallel to the top wall. 
     
     
       11. In a mobile loading machine, a movable load arm assembly for supporting a power tool connected with a supply line arrangement, the load arm assembly comprising: 
       an inverted, generally U-shaped channel defining a top wall and a pair of spaced apart sidewalls depending therefrom;  
       a bottom wall connected across the sidewalls and closing the U-shaped channel to form a tubular support member, wherein the bottom wall comprises an upright, U-shaped channel having a transverse portion and a pair of upright side portions, each of which is secured to an inside surface of a respective sidewall; and  
       a clamping device secured to the bottom wall for retaining the supply line arrangement adjacent thereto, wherein the bottom wall and the depending sidewalls are constructed and arranged to conceal, protect and allow accessibility to the supply line arrangement.  
     
     
       12. The load arm assembly of claim  8 , wherein the supply line arrangement includes a pair of hydraulic tubes for feeding hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic cylinder. 
     
     
       13. The load arm assembly of claim  8 , wherein the clamping device includes: 
       an upper yoke member connected to the underside of the bottom wall;  
       a bottom yoke member engageable with the upper yoke member; and  
       a fastener extending through aligned openings formed in the upper yoke member and the bottom yoke member and interconnected with the bottom wall so as to clampingly retain the supply line arrangement between the upper and lower yoke members beneath the bottom wall and between the depending sidewalls.  
     
     
       14. The load arm assembly of claim  8 , wherein the depending sidewalls extend downwardly beyond the clamping device. 
     
     
       15. The load arm assembly of claim  8 , wherein the loading machine is a skid steer loader. 
     
     
       16. A loading machine, comprising: 
       a frame;  
       a load arm assembly pivotably mounted to the frame;  
       a power device connected to the load arm assembly and movable between an extended position and a retracted position for respectively obtaining a raised condition and a lowered condition of the load arm assembly;  
       wherein the load arm assembly in the vicinity of the power device defines a closed interior and includes an external supply line arrangement for supplying fluid power to a tool adapted for mounting to the load arm assembly; and  
       an anti-lowering arrangement located on the load arm assembly for selectively holding the power device in the extended position and preventing lowering of the load arm assembly, wherein the anti-lowering arrangement comprises a retainer bar pivotably mounted to a pair of walls associated with the load arm member and located exteriorly of the closed interior defined by the load arm member, wherein the retainer bar is pivotable between an inoperative position wherein the retainer bar is protectively retained between the walls and disengaged from the power device, and an operative position wherein the retainer bar is released from between the walls to pivot downwardly by gravity from between the walls into obstructing contact with the power device so as to prevent retraction of the power device and maintain the raised condition of the load arm assembly, and wherein the supply line arrangement is located between the retainer bar and a transverse wall forming a part of the load arm assembly and which extends between the pair of walls between which the retainer bar is located when in its inoperative position.  
     
     
       17. An anti-lowering arrangement for a loading machine having a frame, at least one load arm assembly pivotably connected to the frame and adapted to carry a tool and a power device associated with the load arm assembly and movable between a retracted position and an extended position for lowering and raising the load arm assembly, the anti-lowering arrangement comprising: 
       a retainer bar having a first end pivotably mounted to the load arm assembly and a second end movable between an inoperative position wherein the retainer bar is connected to the load arm assembly and spaced from the power device, and an operative position wherein, with the power device in the extended position, the retainer bar is released and pivots away from the load arm assembly into obstructing contact with the power device to hold the power device in the extended position and prevent lowering of the load arm assembly;  
       wherein the load arm assembly includes a load arm member defining a closed interior, a transverse wall, and a pair of external depending sidewalls between which the retainer bar is located when in its inoperative position, and wherein movement of the retainer bar to its operative position is operable to move the second end of the retainer bar outwardly from between the depending sidewalls;  
       wherein the load arm assembly carries one or more external supply lines for supplying power to the tool, and wherein the one or more supply lines are located between the retainer bar and the transverse wall.  
     
     
       18. The anti-lowering arrangement of claim  17 , wherein the power device is a hydraulic cylinder having a rod portion telescopically mounted within a cylinder portion. 
     
     
       19. The anti-lowering arrangement of claim  17 , wherein the retainer bar is formed as an inverted, U-shaped channel having an upper wall and a pair of depending sidewalls provided with a pair of aligned openings therethrough. 
     
     
       20. The anti-lowering arrangement of claim  19 , wherein the depending sidewalls of the load arm assembly include aligned apertures, and further including a retaining pin passable through the aligned openings of the retainer bar and the aligned apertures of the load arm assembly for retaining the retainer bar in the inoperative position. 
     
     
       21. The anti-lowering arrangement of claim  20 , wherein the length of the retaining pin is longer than the distance between the sidewalls of the load arm assembly so that the ends of the pin extend beyond the sidewalls of the load arm assembly when the retainer bar is in the inoperative position. 
     
     
       22. The anti-lowering arrangement of claim  17 , wherein the retainer bar is concealed between the sidewalls of the load arm assembly when the retainer bar is in the inoperative position. 
     
     
       23. The anti-lowering arrangement of claim  18 , wherein the loading machine is a skid steer loader. 
     
     
       24. In a skid steer loader including a frame, a load arm assembly extending between a forward end and a rearward end and movably interconnected with the frame at the rearward end, a first power device interconnected between the load arm assembly and the frame for effecting movement of the load arm assembly relative to the frame, and a second power device disposed toward the forward end of the load arm assembly and supplied by one or more supply lines, the improvement comprising: 
       a support arrangement interconnected between the load arm assembly and the one or more supply lines for securing the one or more supply lines to the load arm assembly; and  
       wall structure forming a part of the load arm assembly, comprising a pair of spaced apart forwardly-to-rearwardly extending walls formed on the load arm assembly forwardly of the interconnection of the load arm assembly with the frame and rearwardly of the second power device, wherein the walls cooperate to define a forwardly-to-rearwardly extending recess on the exterior of the load arm assembly within which the support arrangement and the one or more supply lines are received, wherein the wall structure is constructed and arranged to protect and conceal the support arrangement and the one or more supply lines throughout at least a portion of the length of the one or more supply lines between the forward and rearward ends of the load arm assembly, wherein the load arm assembly includes a pair of spaced sidewalls and a bottom wall extending therebetween, and wherein at least one of the pair of spaced apart forwardly-to-rearwardly extending walls comprises an extension of one of the pair of spaced sidewalls extending past the bottom wall.  
     
     
       25. The improvement of claim  24 , wherein the support arrangement is interconnected with the bottom wall. 
     
     
       26. The improvement of claim  24 , wherein the pair of spaced apart forward-to-rearwardly extending walls comprises an extension of each of the pair of sidewalls, and wherein the first power device is interconnected with the sidewall extensions. 
     
     
       27. In a skid steer loader including a frame, a load arm assembly movably mounted to the frame and extending between a forward end and a rearward end, a first power device interconnected between the load arm assembly and the frame for effecting movement of the load arm assembly relative to the frame, and a second power device disposed toward the forward end of the load arm assembly and supplied by one or more supply lines, the improvement comprising: 
       a support arrangement interconnected between the load arm assembly and the one or more supply lines for securing the one or more supply lines to the load arm assembly; and  
       wall structure associated with the load arm assembly, comprising a pair of spaced apart axially extending walls which cooperate to define an axially extending recess on the exterior of the load arm assembly within which the one or more supply lines are received, wherein the wall structure is constructed and arranged to protect and conceal the support arrangement and the one or more supply lines throughout at least a portion of the length of the one or more supply lines, wherein the load arm assembly includes a pair of spaced sidewalls and a bottom wall extending therebetween, and wherein at least one of the pair of spaced apart axially extending walls comprises an extension of one of the pair of spaced sidewalls extending past the bottom wall, and wherein the pair of spaced apart axially extending walls comprises an extension of each of the pair of sidewalls, and wherein the first power device is interconnected with the sidewall extensions, wherein the sidewall extensions define a forward portion and a rearward portion and a step therebetween, and wherein the first power device is interconnected with the forward portion of the sidewall extensions adjacent the step.  
     
     
       28. An anti-lowering arrangement for a loading machine having a frame, at least one load arm assembly pivotably connected to the frame and a power device associated with the load arm assembly and movable between a retracted position and an extended position for lowering and raising the load arm assembly, the anti-lowering arrangement comprising: 
       a retainer bar having a first end pivotably mounted to the load arm assembly and a second end movable between an inoperative position wherein the bar is connected to the load arm assembly and spaced from the power device, and an operative position wherein, with the power device in the extended position, the bar is released and pivots away from the load arm assembly into obstructing contact with the power device to hold the power device in the extended position and prevent lowering of the load arm assembly;  
       wherein the load arm assembly includes a pair of depending sidewalls between which the retainer bar is located when in its operative position, and wherein movement of the retainer bar to its operative position is operable to move the second end of the retainer bar outwardly from between the depending sidewalls;  
       wherein the at least one load arm assembly carries a power tool and a supply line arrangement for supplying fluid power to the power tool, and wherein the supply line arrangement is interposed between the retainer bar and a transverse wall of the load arm assembly which extends between the pair of depending side walls between which the retainer bar is located when in its inoperative position.  
     
     
       29. In a skid steer loader including a frame, a load arm assembly extending between a forward end and a rearward end movably interconnected with the frame at the rearward end, a first power device interconnected between the load arm assembly and the frame for effecting movement of the load arm assembly relative to the frame, and a second power device disposed toward the forward end of the load arm assembly and supplied by one or more supply lines, the improvement comprising: 
       a support arrangement interconnected between the load arm assembly and the one or more supply lines for securing the one or more supply lines to the load arm assembly; and  
       wall structure forming a part of the load arm assembly and defining a forwardly-to-rearwardly recess on the exterior of the load arm assembly within which the support arrangement and the one or more supply lines are received, wherein the wall structure is constructed and arranged to protect and conceal the support arrangement and the one or more supply lines throughout at least a portion of the length of the one or more supply lines forwardly of the interconnection of the load arm assembly with the frame and rearwardly of the second power device, wherein the load arm assembly includes a pair of spaced sidewalls and a bottom wall extending therebetween, and wherein the wall structure defining the recess comprises an extension of at least one of the pair of spaced sidewalls extending past the bottom wall and cooperating with the bottom wall to form the recess.  
     
     
       30. In a skid steer loader including a frame, a load arm assembly movably mounted to the frame and extending between a forward end and a rearward end, a first power device interconnected between the load arm assembly and the frame and including an extendible and retractable member for effecting movement of the load arm assembly relative to the frame, and a second power device disposed toward the forward end of the frame and supplied by one or more supply lines, the improvement comprising a pair of spaced apart axially extending walls associated with the load arm assembly which cooperate to define an axially extending recess on the exterior of the load arm assembly within which the one or more supply lines are received, wherein the pair of spaced apart walls are constructed and arranged to protect and conceal the one or more supply lines throughout at least a portion of the length of the one or more supply lines, and wherein the spaced apart walls define a connection area to which the extendible and retractable member of the first power device is connected outwardly of the one or more supply lines. 
     
     
       31. The improvement of claim  30 , wherein the connection area comprises an outward step defined by each of the spaced apart walls with which the extendible and retractable members is interconnected. 
     
     
       32. The improvement of claim  31 , wherein the load arm assembly includes a pair of spaced sidewalls and a bottom wall extending therebetween, and wherein the pair of spaced apart walls comprises an extension of each of the pair of spaced sidewalls extending past the bottom wall. 
     
     
       33. A joint arrangement for a pair of load arm sections forming at least a part of a load arm assembly for a loading machine, comprising: 
       a first upper wall and a first lower wall forming a part of a first one of the load arm sections, wherein the first upper and lower walls diverge away from each other;  
       a second upper wall and a second lower wall forming a part of a second one of the load arm sections which cooperate to form at least a part of an opening in an end of the second load arm section;  
       wherein the first load arm section is received within the opening of the second load arm section, and wherein the walls of the load arm sections are constructed and arranged such that the first and second upper walls overlap each other and an end defined by the first lower wall is spaced from an end defined by the second lower wall, wherein the first and second upper walls are connected together at the location at which the first and second upper walls overlap each other, and wherein the first and second lower walls are connected together by means of a connecting member secured to each of the first and second lower walls and extending between the spaced ends defined by the first and second lower walls.  
     
     
       34. The joint arrangement of claim  33 , wherein the second upper wall defines an outer section at the opening which cooperates to form an obtuse angle with an inner section located inwardly thereof, and wherein the first and second upper walls are connected together at the outer section of the first upper wall. 
     
     
       35. The joint arrangement of claim  34 , wherein each of the load arm sections further includes a pair of spaced sidewalls, wherein the sidewalls of the load arm sections overlap each other at an overlapping area and are connected together at the overlapping area.